Letter from BCA Executive Director, Yonni Wattenmaker
It amazes me how quickly time passes. There is a rhythm to the year, the weeks, and even the days, but as we balance the busy-ness of our lives, we need to take time to relish the moments we encounter.
Amidst the frenzy, many wonderful things happen, and this is especially true for Breast Cancer Alliance. This ever-evolving organization accomplishes so much, and it is both gratifying and clear why we have achieved and maintained our status as one of the most prominent and highly ranked breast cancer charities in the United States. Our mission to improve survival rates and quality of life for those impacted by breast cancer by investing in early-stage innovative research, breast surgery fellowships, regional education, and breast cancerrelated healthcare services for the underserved is our guiding light. We hope this year will be even more fruitful than last as we continue aspiring to reach those goals.
Inside this issue are compelling stories and examples of BCA’s grants at work. We are welcoming four new breast surgery fellows and are pleased to share where last year’s class found their new homes. We are providing access to breast care to thousands of patients throughout Connecticut and Westchester County, NY with our Education and Outreach grants. Starting in 2025, we will rename these grants Screening and Support Services to better reflect our focus. When it comes to funding innovative early-stage research, how do our investments shape the field, and the careers of the scientists engaging in this work?
Anthony Koleske, PhD, serves as the Ensign Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and the Deputy Dean for Basic Science at Yale School of Medicine, and was the recipient of BCA Exceptional Project Research grants in 2010 and 2017.
In this issue we delve into the success of his hypotheses and the current state of his work. Reflecting on BCA’s impact he shared: “It was instrumental in our characterization of the invasion control switch. The studies it funded allowed us to get data that we used to obtain an NIH grant for our studies.”
Shawn Demehri, MD, PhD, an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and recipient of a 2016 BCA Young Investigator Grant, echoed similar sentiments. In his interview he shared: “This grant was very helpful for me to establish my independent research lab and lead the efforts for breast cancer immunoprevention.” When asked what sets BCA apart from other funders, he said it is our “willingness to support science that is more risky but can yield high impact outcomes.”
There are so many ways for you to make an impact through BCA. I hope to see many of you at this year’s Annual Luncheon and Fashion Show at Westchester Country Club on October 23rd. The event will feature stunning fashion presentations from AKRIS and Richards, the moving personal journey of Clea Shearer, breast cancer survivor and co-founder of The Home Edit, and celebrate the bravery of our Models of Inspiration. Beyond this afternoon, we offer numerous opportunities to engage through various events, experiences, and educational programs. Regardless of how you choose to contribute your time, talent, and financial resources, your generosity is essential to continuing these vital and extraordinary advancements.
I look forward to seeing you soon
Please Welcome BCA’s 2024 Breast Surgery Fellows:
Memorial
Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Solange Bayard, MD, MS, New York, NY, Gabelli Family Foundation Fellowship
Solange Bayard, MD, MS obtained her undergraduate degree at New York University and her medical doctorate at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She completed general surgery residency at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell, where she received the William T Stubenbord Award and the Fabrizio Michelassi Chief Resident Award for her compassion, humanism, and commitment to teaching.
During residency, Dr. Bayard dedicated two years as a research fellow to studying racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes and developing a multi-level pipeline program to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the surgical workforce. Her research and community organizing efforts led to multiple peer-reviewed publications and grants, including the American College of Surgeons Innovative Grant for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism. As a research fellow, she also obtained her master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Services Research. Dr. Bayard is excited to begin her clinical fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and plans to continue a career in academic medicine.
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Larissa M. Pamen, MD, New Brunswick, NJ, Rodkin Family Breast Surgery Fellowship
Larissa N. Pamen, MD is a dedicated surgical resident currently undertaking her General Surgery Residency at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA. She earned her MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine after completing a Master of Science in Biotechnology at William Paterson University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology at SUNY College at Plattsburgh. Her research interests include surgical outcomes, as evidenced by her work on the effects of bilateral reduction mammaplasty on weight loss in obese patients. Dr. Pamen is an active member of several professional societies including the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association, and she enjoys mentoring medical students and participating in surgical education initiatives.
Yale University, Sarah K. Merkel, MD, New Haven, CT, Gary and Stacia Smith Fellowship
Sarah Merkel, MD grew up in Atlanta, and obtained her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Georgia. Dr. Merkel received her medical degree from the Tulane School of Medicine in
Erika King, MD, a New York native, who is passionate about improving patient care. She studied Neuroscience at SUNY Binghamton. She became a masters degree in education while enrolled in Teach for America. She science in East Harlem, New York. She completed her medical training Michigan. She now embarks on a transformative fellowship at The Mount Breast Center. Her future plans include; breast surgical oncology, holistic of future surgeons, and leadership in hospital innovations. In Dr. King's volleyball, cooking, and spending time with her family.
New Orleans, and completed her General Surgery residency at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr. Merkel is excited to begin her fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at Yale and plans to pursue a career in academic surgery. In her free time, Dr. Merkel enjoys swimming, traveling to new places and spending time on the beach with her husband.
Mt. Sinai, Erika King, MD, New York, NY, Supported by Kubtec
Erika King, MD, a New York native, is passionate about improving breast surgery and patient care. She studied Neuroscience at SUNY Binghamton, became a teacher and earned a master’s degree in Education while enrolled in Teach for America. Dr. King taught middle school science in East Harlem, New York, and later completed her medical training at Henry Ford Jackson Michigan. She now embarks on a transformative fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital, Dubin Breast Center. Her future plans include breast surgical oncology, holistic healthcare, mentorship of future surgeons, and leadership in hospital innovations. In Dr. King’s free time, she loves volleyball, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Congratulations to BCA’s Outgoing Class!
Kate R. Pawloski, MD, MPH, BCA x Veronica Beard Fellow
Trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New role: Assistant Attending Surgeon, Breast Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Catherine Chappuis, MD, BCA Fellow
Trained at Mount Sinai Hospital
New Role: Breast Surgeon, Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY
Toobah Mohammad MD, BCA Rodkin
Family Fellow
Trained at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
New Role: Breast Surgeon, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, part of the US Oncology Network, in Las Vegas, Nevada
BCA’s Silent Auction Teaser:
As the Annual Luncheon and Fashion Show approaches, so does the highly anticipated silent auction! Here is just a sample of the fabulous items we have in store:
COUNTRY OUTING:
Spend one mid-week night, in a tier 1 or tier 2 cottage of your choice at the iconic Winvian Farms in Litchfield, Connecticut. You can enjoy planning a relaxing day ahead while enjoying a delicious breakfast for two.
GO FISH!
This is the big kahuna! The Ichiban – a Blue Ribbon sushi making evening. Toshi’s Choice is always the way to go if you are looking to wow your family and friends with an unforgettable sushi experience with this make-your-own Blue Ribbon sushi kit. It has everything you need to create an unforgettable meal. Nearly six pounds of the highest quality fish with the most options for how to enjoy it, from handrolls to crispy rice to nigiri sushi to sashimi, with all the traditional accompaniments.
TOP CHEF:
Enjoy a fabulous dinner at Little Maven in New York City and a candid 30-minute conversation with renowned celebrity chef Josh Capon.
POPUP NOSH:
Host your very own interactive bagel brunch with PopUp Bagels mobile truck! Invite up to 50 friends to enjoy fresh bagels, baked on-site, at your home. Their Bagel Bouncers will bake in front of your guests, as well as slice and schmear the bagels for you to enjoy.
SO TOTE-ALLY CUTE:
The Hermès “So Canvas” Tote is the perfect complement to your outfit. This lightweight canvas tote is a new classic with vibrant piping and colored straps.
MADAME OR MONSIEUR BUTTERFLY:
Make your date night extra special with tickets for two to the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
BRAVO!
Meet Andy Cohen and guests when you take your two seats in the audience at the best party on TV, Watch What Happens Live!
ON THE ROCKS:
Create your own 14K Love Knot ring with JL Rocks at their Riverside shop. The winner can choose from white or yellow gold with diamonds, rose gold with pink sapphires, or yellow gold with blue sapphires or blue diamonds.
2024 Models of Inspiration
The highlight of our annual Breast Cancer Alliance luncheon is the Models of Inspiration fashion show, a joyous and heartwarming moment that honors or remembers the women and men who have undergone treatment, or are living with metastatic breast cancer.
In preparation for the event, we asked them what advice they have for anyone recently diagnosed. These are their answers:
Rachel Baritz
“I hate that it sounds so cliché but taking one day at a time and staying positive is so important.
Ask questions, lean on your friends, accept help and make an effort to speak with people who have gone before you. It was so so helpful for me to speak to friends of friends who had been through it and were thriving on the other side.
You should also probably come to terms with the fact that the person you were before your diagnosis no longer exists. You are forever changed and while it may be hard to believe, in many ways you’re changed for the better.”
Dr. Tiffany Christensen
“Take each day at a time and piece of the journey at a time. You can put each step behind you once it is complete!”
Emily Corben
“Information is power. I felt like I had a great support system within my family and friends and a wonderful team of doctors so that I could make informed decisions quickly and get to action!”
Mary Ferrara
“Stay positive and strong. Get more than one surgeon’s opinion and don’t be afraid to talk about your diagnosis with others. You will get support and information from women who have gone through it or are going through it. I found it very comforting and it helped me have a positive outlook.”
Kayte Gavin
“The time between diagnosis and the start of treatment is the scariest. As soon as you start treatment, you are moving in the right direction to ‘slay the beast’ so keep your eye on the prize to get to that point.”
Becky Johnson
“It is so important to do self-exams and keep up with mammograms.”
Marcella Kelson
“One of the first things that I did once I was diagnosed was to reconnect with my therapist and meet with a psychiatrist. I know finding more doctors is the last thing anyone wants to do in this position. Still, I believe having the appropriate mental health support during treatment is critical for healing emotionally. In my experience, a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is isolating and traumatizing in ways few can really grasp. You deserve a safe space where you can process your experience.”
Liz Lee
“Hearing the blindsiding news is the shocking realization that your life could end in a flash. The reality of being very vulnerable to illness, no matter how determined you are to have an enriched and happy life, is the first step in acceptance. Though, unknown at first, there is a huge breast cancer community that offers support, kindness, and medical miracles.”
“Although it may not be an easy road, you got this. Share your story and accept support from friends and family who love you. You are never alone.”
Catherine McCarthy
“Take one day at a time. Gratefully accept the incredible amount of help you will be offered, ask any and all questions of your doctors, advocate for yourself and be grateful for everything that is good in your life.”
“I tell everyone that they must bring someone to each appointment who can take notes because your head will be spinning. I also tell women to get multiple opinions (if they can stomach it) as treatment and approaches can vary widely. That said, this is entirely personality dependent. I thrive with more information; some people get very overwhelmed with choice. In the end, there is no wrong way. I was surrounded by great medical care here in the greater NYC area.
The most important part of my ability to navigate my diagnosis was having a strong support system. While my family and husband were rocks, it was the women who had been through breast cancer before who provided the best advice and most comfort. My best advice to those recently diagnosed is to find someone who has the same exact subtype or diagnosis as you to ask questions or get advice. Depending on your subtype of breast cancer, treatment regimes and challenges can be vastly different and you’ll glean the most important insights from most similar to you. It was also important to me mentally to find someone who has gone through my sub-type and survived/thrived after to serve as my hope/light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Accept any and all help that is offered. So many friendships and stories will come out of the journey.”
You are invited to recognize one of these women or your own model of inspiration with a special tribute donation. Just go to: bidpal.net/bcaluncheon24
Andrea Massucci
Jan Whelan
Amanda Stern
Research Spotlight: Shawn Demehri, MD,
PhD
2016 Young Investigator Grant:
Mechanism of tumor immunity against early stages of breast carcinogenesis, funded at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Q: What is your degree and current title?
A: MD, PhD Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.
Q: What drew you to breast cancer research?
A: The importance of cancer prevention in the breast.
Q: What do you find to be the biggest challenge in your research career thus far?
A: Acquiring funding for cutting-edge research that currently has minimal preliminary data.
Q: Can you describe your BCA-funded research in layman’s terms?
A: This research aims to determine the role of an immune factor in breast cancer prevention.
Q: Are you still working on that funded hypothesis and/or is it related to the work you are doing today?
A: Yes, we are expanding this work to other immune factors to boost the prospect for breast cancer prevention.
Q: How did the Breast Cancer Alliance grant help to propel your research in this field?
A: This grant was very helpful for me to establish my independent research lab and lead the efforts for breast cancer immunoprevention.
Q: In your opinion, what might be the next big breakthrough in breast cancer research?
A: Breast cancer immunotherapy is the next frontier in this disease, I envision breast cancer immunoprevention will emerge as a novel field in a more distant future.
Q: As both a BCA grant recipient, and now in your role as a reviewer for future proposals, what sets BCA apart from other breast cancer grant-making charities?
A: The willingness to support science that is more risky but can yield high impact outcomes.
Research Spotlight: Anthony Koleske, PhD
2010 Exceptional Project Grant: Inhibition of Breast Cancer Invasiveness via Targeting of an Arg:cortactin Switch.
2017 Exceptional Project Grant: Profiling of circulating tumor cells to identify targets for adjuvant therapy in metastatic triple negative breast cancer, funded at Yale.
Q: What is your degree and current title?
A: I have a PhD in Biology from MIT. I am the Ensign Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and the Deputy Dean for Basic Science at Yale School of Medicine.
Q: What drew you to breast cancer research?
A: I have been working on mechanisms that control cell movement for 30 years. In the last 15 years or so, it became clear that some of the machinery and mechanisms we studied were critical to breast cancer invasion and metastasis.
Q: What do you find to be the biggest challenge in your research career thus far?
A: Funding for science is a continuing challenge. Running a lab is like running a small business and salaries and supply costs have really increased in the last 10 years.
Q: Can you describe your BCA-funded research in layman’s terms?
A: We have been studying a molecular switch that regulates the decision for a breast cancer cell to invade surrounding tissue.
Q: Are you still working on that funded hypothesis and/or is it related to the work you are doing today?
A: We did prove our hypothesis. The work is currently followed up by Hava Gil-Henn, who left my lab to start her own lab and she is continuing the work.
Q: How did that Breast Cancer Alliance grant help to propel your research in this field?
A: It was instrumental in our characterization of the invasion control switch. The studies it funded allowed us to get data that we used to obtain an NIH grant for our studies.
Q: In your opinion, what might be the next big breakthrough in breast cancer research?
A: I anticipate that increasingly, we will be able to target differences in the metabolism of breast cancer cells to treat it. This field seems to be emerging rapidly.
Go for pink This October!
Throughout the year, but especially in October, BCA partners with retailers, restaurants and fitness centers across the U.S.
These activations raise essential funding for BCA’s annual grants and bring amplified national awareness and educational opportunities surrounding breast cancer.
For a list of this Fall’s supporters, events and opportunities, visit breastcanceralliance.org/goforpink.
Kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with BCA on
October 1!
9am Annual BCA Flag raising at Greenwich Town Hall
10am-2pm and 7pm-9pm
Curated Shopping Boutique
66 Indian Head Road, Riverside, CT
Enjoy the latest fashions, art and accessories from vendors like A Domani, Excessorize, JL Rocks, Lily & Laurel, Resme Swim, Too Sparrows, and Tracy Schmidt
BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE INVITES YOU TO A
Wellness Luncheon
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
HARMONIE CLUB
40 East 60th Street, New York City
11AM
Cocktails & Raffle
12PM
Lunch, Fireside Chat and Presentation of BCA’s Corporate Philanthropy Award
PANEL WITH Q&A:
Laurie Kirstein, MD, FACS, Breast Surgeon, with Kate Pawloski, MD, MPH, Breast Surgeon, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
On August 1, 2017, at the age of 36, I busied myself in our NYC apartment, our three-month-old daughter on my hip, waiting for the phone call that would change my life forever. By that afternoon, it would be confirmed that the lump in my right breast was not related to breastfeeding but, triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. To say that my life, or rather my family’s life, turned upside down in a single moment is an understatement. From that moment on, our little family of four was in survival mode with so many things to figure out in a very short period of time. While I was terrified of treatment and surgery, I was even more terrified of how it would affect our two very small children.
It was a logistical and emotional nightmare. Three days later I met with my breast surgeon and medical oncologist at New York Presbyterian to formulate a treatment plan, and two weeks later I started a twenty-week course of chemo. It was a trying time to say the least, but my friends
and family stepped up in the most amazing way and kept our household running while I worked through treatments and a bilateral mastectomy. I don’t know what I would have done without their help!
As my daughter’s first birthday approached, I was undergoing radiation, and even though I was completely exhausted, I was empowered by the fact that my year of treatment was coming to an end. We had (or so I thought!) made it!
Less than three weeks after my daughter turned one, I found myself in the emergency room with a blinding headache and severe nausea. What we hoped would be a treatment-related migraine turned out to be a walnut-sized tumor behind my left eye. The breast cancer had metastasized to my brain, and I was immediately prepped for surgery. We would later find four additional small tumors which were treated with radiation. It was impossible to understand how I could possibly have not one, but multiple, brain tumors. I was completely shocked. I did everything right. I even had a complete response to chemo and my margins were clean after the brain surgery. I wasn’t supposed to have Stage Four cancer. I was young and fit and healthy. All I could think was, “How on Earth did this become my life?”
How could I miss seeing my daughter on her wedding day? How could I leave my husband to raise my children without me?
My incredible care team at New York Presbyterian in New York City encouraged me to fight the LMD with everything I had. We put together a treatment plan that consisted of spinal radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy and fight we did! Five years later, I am cancer-free.
In the early days of my cancer journey my husband and I spent so much time trying to figure out when we could get back to “normal.” I would say things like, “Well, if my final treatment is in this month, my surgery will be in this month and then radiation…. so by the end of summer we should be back to normal.” And then there would be a complication with chemo or I needed more time to heal after surgery, so we would start the planning again.
After the shock of the brain tumors subsided, I managed through the rest of 2018 relatively well and before I knew it, I was regaining energy and my hair was even growing a little! By the summer of 2019, I had made it an entire year without any evidence of disease in my body. It felt like we had finally gotten my cancer under control and we could move forward with life. It was an amazing feeling!
My husband and I celebrated my good news with a trip to Italy. Shortly after returning home, I was not feeling like myself. I couldn’t really put my finger on it…I just felt off. I assumed it was jet lag or dehydration, but by the end of my first week back I had a bad headache again. I called my oncologist and by the time I sat in her office a day later, my feet and legs were completely numb.
Exactly two years after my first diagnosis in August 2019, I was diagnosed with Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD), a rare late-stage complication in which cancer cells infiltrate the cerebral spinal fluid. At 38 years-old I was diagnosed with a terminal disease for which there is no standard of care, and most patients only live three to six months after diagnosis. I was devastated. I felt so many things… fear, anger, worry…but I was mostly heartbroken: heartbroken that I was going to miss out on the rest of my life. My messy, complicated, imperfect life. I had a seven yearold son, a two year-old daughter and a husband I loved with all of my heart. We had memories to make and so many milestones waiting for us in the future, and I was not going to be around for any of it. How could this happen?
During the weeks and months after receiving the terminal diagnosis, I thought a lot about life and timing: how we are not given a guaranteed timeline and how much I had taken for granted. First of all, there is no such thing as normal, and when it came down to it, what I really wanted was to continue living my life with my family whether it was “normal” or not. Life was never going to be what it was before that first phone call and that was okay. Instead, I decided to be present in the life that was right in front of me and use my battle with metastatic cancer to show my children what perseverance, resilience and gratitude looked like.
Seven years have passed since that first phone call. There is no ribbon to wrap around a perfect ending here. It has been the hardest fight of my life and there have been plenty of obstacles along the way (including a small HER2+ mass on my left side in 2021 which required another surgery and a full year of treatment.)
I have dealt with more collateral damage than I could have ever foreseen, and I have wanted to give up on more than one occasion but I didn’t! It was worth every single complicated minute!
For a long time, it felt like cancer was taking so many things away from me. Now, it feels as though it has given me a new purpose by reframing my vision for my life. I have learned to stay present, grounded by a grateful heart, and always pressing forward. To anyone that might be at the beginning or deep in the midst of their fight against cancer, please know that the strength to keep pressing forward is already within you, but if you are struggling to find that strength, I hope you can find it in my story because you are not alone!
Breast Cancer Alliance
48 Maple Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
FALL EVENT SEASON IS HERE
To register, find more information, or learn about additional events visit breastcanceralliance.org/events
Tuesday, September 17
BCA Annual Golf Outing
Tee off with BCA at GlenArbor Golf Club for another fabulous tournament or in our golf clinic with a club pro. 234 Bedford Center Road, Bedford Hills, NY
Sunday, September 29
Go For Pink with BCA + Weekend Max Mara
Weekend Max Mara, David Yurman and more team up with BCA and White Plains Hospital for a day of celebration and breast cancer awareness. The Westchester, White Plains, NY
Monday, September 30
NYC Women’s Wellness Luncheon
See details on page 9. Harmonie Club, 4 E. 60th, NYC
Starting October 1
Go For Pink
See details on page 9.
Wednesday, October 23
Annual Luncheon & Fashion Show
BCA’s Annual Luncheon & Fashion Show is the event of the year!
Mark your calendars for Club Pink on October 23 at Westchester Country Club. Westchester Country Club, Rye
Wednesday, October 30
Immuno Approaches to Treat Breast Cancer
A free webinar in partnership with Focused Untrasound Foundation.
